Apple

Apple tells the FDA that it feels morally obligated to improve health devices

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

We know that Apple was in a health-oriented talk with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last December, but the specifics of that discussion were not revealed until this morning. Three months after filing a Freedom of Information Act request, Apple Toolbox has received an official response from the FDA about what it talked about with the world's most valuable tech corporation. Read ahead for highlights from the conversation…

This is Skype’s upcoming iPhone facelift

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 27, 2016

Microsoft-owned Skype is putting finishing touches on a major new version of its free iPhone messaging and VoIP calling software. The software giant has just announced some of the new features making their way to the upcoming 5.0 iPhone release soon and boy are we excited.

The sleeker UI is only part of the story because Skype 5.0 focuses on speed. In fact, in redesigning the app developers have rewritten much of the code with iOS in mind.

As a result, Skype 5.0 for iPhone is up to five times faster than before. Additional tidbits and a cool promo video can be found right after the jump...

How iOS 8 defeats Wi-Fi location tracking in stores, malls and elsewhere

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

In a move designed to appease privacy watchers and further protect your privacy, Apple has made it that much harder for pesky marketeers to identify your device (and consequentially you as a user) or track your location as you go about your business. As discovered by Swiss programmer Frederic Jacobs, iOS 8 randomizes your device's MAC address while scanning for networks.

A MAC address serves as a unique identifier assigned to network interfaces for communications on the physical network segment. By randomizing your device's MAC address each time it scans for nearby Wi-Fi hotspots, iOS 8 effectively disguises any trace of the real device. Here's hoping this becomes an industry standard. Jump past the fold to learn more about this nifty feature...

Video: time-lapse photography in iOS 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

The world's top camera on Flickr will get a lot better when iOS 8 drops this Fall. As Apple executives outlined during the WWDC keynote talk, the stock Camera application in iOS 8 introduces a new shooting mode: time-lapse photography.

This lets you leave your iPhone automatically taking pictures every few seconds over a predetermined amount of time. iOS 8 then stitches the individual frames together to form gorgeous time-lapse videos.

Time-lapse photography is great for shooting changes that occur over longer periods of time, such as the clouds moving across the sky, skyscrapers being built, blossoming flowers, sunset/sunrise scenes and more. Here's an example time-lapse video shot using an iPhone 5s running a beta of iOS 8...

SteelSeries announces large-format Stratus XL iOS gaming controller

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January, the Stratus wireless iOS gaming controller by SteelSeries has joined the likes of Logitech's PowerShell, Moga's AcePower, Razer's Kazuyo/Junglecat and C.T.R.L.i by Mad Catz, to name a few.

Monday, the firm announced a larger-format version of the Stratus, the Stratus XL. The console-style gaming controller works with the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices and comes with a pressure-sensitive D-pad, dual-analog sticks, a set of four action buttons and four shoulder buttons (two pressure-sensitive top shoulder buttons and two analog trigger bottom shoulder buttons)...

AAPL splits 7 to 1

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

As promised during Apple's most recent earnings call, the Cupertino, California headquartered consumer electronics powerhouse is set to open on Monday at $92.22 a share as the company puts forth its plan to split stock, its fourth stock split to date.

All common stock owners will receive six additional shares for each share in existence. As a result, the value of each individual share will drop accordingly, but the value of their total holdings will not. Read on for the full reveal...

Personnel issues and internal politics blamed for lack of iOS 8 Maps announcements at WWDC

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 9, 2014

Mark Gurman has established himself as the most reliable Apple blogger out there so we were confused seeing his sources fail him so badly in predicting announcements Apple should've made at WWDC.

For instance, he called for new hardware at WWDC, but Apple's developers conference focused - rather predictably, I should add - on software.

Gurman also said Apple would give OS X a larger presence at the five-day event whereas the company didn't discriminate between iOS 8 and Yosemite.

Most importantly, he made several claims concerning Apple taking iOS 8 Maps to the next level by adding public transit directions, a car finding feature, more points of interests, better labels and so forth. In reality, the Cupertino firm only briefly mentioned that it's updated iOS 8 Maps in China with vector graphics. So, what's going on here?

WSJ profile describes Dr. Dre as a perfectionist, compares him to Steve Jobs

Cody Lee ∙ June 7, 2014

The Wall Street Journal has written a profile on Beats co-founder Dr. Dre titled "Apple's New Beat: What Steve Jobs and Dr. Dre have in Common." That headline may sound blasphemous to die-hard Apple fans, but the comparisons they draw are interesting.

Though Jimmy Iovine has done most of the talking since Apple acquired his Beats Electronics last month, Dr. Dre played an equally important role in the company's success. He's a workaholic and a perfectionist, with a disdain for deadlines and marketing research...

Gameloft’s Rival Knights jousts its way into the App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 6, 2014

How about some good ol' fashioned medieval jousting? Your wish is Gameloft's command! Introducing Rival Knights, a free-to-play iPhone and iPad knight combat game with eye-candy looks, motion-captured animations, tons of content, asynchronous multiplayer mode and some serious bone-breaking action.

Optional In-App Purchases don't kill all the fun nor do they seem to break your freemium experience beyond repair.

It gets even better: you'll absolutely love Infinity Blade-like graphics and action sequences reminiscent of some of the best Rebellion Games titles. Long story short, you really can't go wrong with this one so accept your challenge and take part at the King’s tournament to prove your mettle.

Grab it free in the App Store and jump past the fold to see it in action for yourself...

AT&T’s prepaid GoPhone service expands to tablets, including iPad 3 and iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 6, 2014

AT&T’s prepaid wireless service for smartphones, marketed under the GoPhone moniker, now works with cellular-capable first-generation iPad mini and third-generation iPad with Retina display (also known as iPad 3).

The nation's second-largest wireless operator said Friday that owners of a limited number of select tablet models can now purchase cellular data on a month-to-month basis, for the first time...

US Apple Stores to begin offering prepaid and month-to-month iPhone plans

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

According to a new report from 9to5Mac, Apple is preparing to begin offering prepaid and month-to-month iPhone plans in its US retail stores. This will mark the first time in the US that customers will be able to go into an Apple Store, and walk out with a prepaid iPhone.

Customers will be able to purchase an iPhone at full retail, pick from a handful of prepaid or month-to-month plans offered by AT&T, T-Mobile and others, and have it activated in-store. The initiative is part of a larger effort by Apple to bolster non-subsidized iPhone sales...